Crimson Sand and the Shadow Liger
by Ernilriel
Summary: My version of what happened after the Death Stinger.


Crimson Sand and the Shadow Liger

By: Ernilriel

**Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters or Zoids except the Shadow Liger **

"Speech" 'thoughts'

Chapter 1: Down Fall of the Death Stinger, the Death of a Hero

The Battle raged on. Van, Irvine, and Thomas challenged the Death Stinger in hopes to give the others a chance to get the gravity cannon to work. The three of them knew it was a suicide mission.

Thomas launched another barrage of missiles from his Dibision. The death Singer took a direct hit from every last missile and it didn't even phase it!

"Dammit! Van we can't hold out much longer! We either run or die!" Thomas shouted over the radio. Irvine took a shot from one of the Death Stinger's small guns. His Lighting Saix couldn't take any more of this.

"Thomas is right Van, we can't take much more of this!" said Irvine struggling with his controls.

"Alright, you guy's go! I'll hold him off!" replied Van dodging another shot aimed at him.

"Van, don't play the damned hero!" yelled Irvine, "you'll get yourself killed!"

"I can't let him out of my sight until I know Moonbey and the others are ready! Get yourselves out of here!" yelled Van dodging another shot.

"We won't leave with out you! We can't afford to lose a pilot like you!" shouted Thomas.

"Leave NOW! It's better if one pilot falls than three! And I'm not the type who run, my father would be ashamed of me if I did!" argued Van, "I have to do this!"

"But Van," started Irvine but he couldn't think of a comeback, "Thomas, let's go!"

"But, wait a minute! We're not leaving Van!" yelled Thomas.

"Van's right, we need to go, so come on!" replied Irvine turning away, "are you sure you want to do this?"

"Positive, now get out of here!" yelled Van and he took a hit.

-

Mean while on base Fiona and Moonbey listened in on the radio signals from Irvine, Thomas and Van. Fiona felt sick; the first person she ever really knew and cared for was going to sacrifice his life. Moonbey looked over at Fiona, she knew that Fiona had feelings for Van, and now Fiona would never have the chance to tell him how she felt.

"No," Fiona muttered slightly under her breath, tears welled up in her eyes, "Don't do this to me!"

Fiona couldn't hold back the tears any longer, she cried.

"There, there, it's gonna be alright," Moonbey comforted.

"No, it won't," Fiona replied, "I need to be alone for a sec."

Fiona walked out of the room leaving Moonbey with the radio.

-

Van struggled to regain control of his Zoid. Then from the back of the cockpit came a familiar growl, but this time it was of urgency and warning.

"I know Zeke, but I have to do this. But promise me if things get too bad for you, you'll eject?" asked Van, the reply was an assuring growl, "Good."

Van ducked and dodged but his Zoid couldn't take the abuse much longer. Zeke ejected and the Blade Liger exploded in a torrent of smoke and fire. Van landed about 150 yards away from the wreckage of his Zoid.

Van felt the rumble of a large Zoid approaching; he heard the sound of an airlock cockpit door opening. Van saw a pair of feet stand in front of him. The person standing in front of Van lifted him by his collar.

"Heh, heh, heh, thought you could play the hero and save everybody eh?" laughed Hiltz, "Pathetic!"

He spat on Van's face. Van was bleeding from a gash on the side of his head. He felt light headed and dizzy. Hiltz then took Van's knife; the one his father left him.

"What pleasure it would give me to get rid of you, and with your father's knife," said Hiltz drawing the knife close to Van's throat. Just then a silver blur rushed Hiltz knocking him to the ground, Van crumbled; he couldn't move, but a sneer showed on Van's face. He had planted a bomb on the Death Stinger when he had gotten close enough.

Then with the push of a button, the Death Stinger exploded in a similar matter the Blade Liger had. Hiltz got up and looked wide eyed in terror at what happened to his Death Stinger.

"NOOOOOOO!" Hiltz yelled in anguish, "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? HOW? NOOO!"

Hiltz fell to his knees and laughed; it was over, his plans were ruined, there was nothing else he could do. Then he tuned to Van.

"YOU! YOU RUINED EVERY THING!" Hiltz bellowed, but he couldn't go near Van because Zeke would attempt to kill him. But then Hiltz stood up straight, and pulled out a gun.

"Well, it seems there is no point to go on," Hiltz said pointing the gun at the side of his head and pulled the trigger.

-

"He's done it! The Death Stinger is destroyed!" said one of the workers on base excitedly.

"Fiona! Fiona! Where are you?" Moonbey called.

"Here I am, what is it?" Fiona asked quietly walking out of her room.

"It's Van! He destroyed the Death Stinger, Hiltz is dead, there sending a team to go get Van," answered Moonbey.

"Is he alive?" Fiona asked hopefully.

"We're not sure," Moonbey answered, "But there looking for people willing to go find Van; I think we should all go."

"Alright," Fiona said following Moonbey.

-

The search party contained Irvine, Moonbey, Thomas, Fiona and a few other pilots.

"We found them! They're up ahead!" one of the scouts said coming back from scouting ahead. Moonbey had a medical trailer hitched to her Gustav, the search party continued and they came across the Zoid wrecks. Fiona got out and looked for Van.

"Van, Van," called Fiona but she was greeted by Zeke. Who was happy to see her.

"Zeke! Where's Van?" Fiona asked, and Zeke's expression changed from happiness to sorrow. Zeke slowly led Fiona to where Van lay.

"Van!" she cried, she turned over the body to find Van still alive, there was sand stuck on the side of his face.

"Van, say something, anything, please," Fiona begged. Van looked up at Fiona in awe.

"I knew you'd find me," Van mumbled.

"It's alright, I'm here, every thing will be alright," Fiona said wiping the sand off of Van's face.

"You have to let me go," mumbled Van; his eyes started to roll in the back of his head, he tried to focus.

"You're going to be okay," Fiona said tears welling up in her eyes.

"My time is up, my spirit is broken, let me go, please, it hurts," Van pleaded, his eyes slipping in and out of focus.

Then after kissing Van on the forehead she agreed.

"Good-bye", she muttered, and Van's eyes shut.

And at that moment, the Death Stinger was forever gone, but at a very steep cost: the life of a hero.

AN: So what did you think? Please review! Tell me if you liked it, if it sucked, also tell me if I got anybody wrong. Please! I'm a big Zoids fan and they canceled the show where I live so I can't watch it. 


End file.
